Cover for air conditioning unit



Feb. 12, 1957 5, c, MALONE ETAL 2,780,982

COVER FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Filed June 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l l INVENTORS i J J W GROVE? C. /7 2 a0 24/ 5 /7 5.5/97" L/vyfo /e f ATTORNEY Feb; 12, 1957 Filed June 25, 1954 G. C. MALONE ETAL COVER FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jTz-J INVENTOR;

0/? 01 0? 0. MAL 0M, 5597.4. NA L 0N5,

ATTORNEY COVER FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Grover C. Malone and Bert L. Malone, Memphis, Tenn.

Application June 25, 1954, Serial No. 439,442

2 Claims. (Cl. 98-94) The present invention relates to a cover for air conditioning unit and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a cover for that portion of a window air conditioning unit which remains upon the outer side of a building in which the unit is mounted. The cover essentially consists of a top, a front wall, a pair of side walls and an open bottom provided with an inwardly extending flange. In each of the side walls and front wall there is provided a series of louvers, each series of which is adapted to be maintained in either open or closed condition by novel means. Novel means is provided for fastening the cover in its operative position. The device contains several other novel features.

It is accord ngly an object of the invention to provide a novel cover for the outside portion of a window-mounted air conditioning mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for mounting the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel louvers and novel means for maintaining the louvers in open and in closed position.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention showing the same in operative position upon the outer portion of a window-mounted air conditioner unit,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the device of the present invention in vertical section,

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the device forming the present invention,

Figure 5 is a plan View of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing certain louvers in closed position,

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 4 but showing the louvers therein shown in closed position, and

Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views illustrating certain elements of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a building wall 10 in which is mounted a window sill 11 upon which rests a window air conditioning unit generally designated at 12 and having a portion 13 which extends within a building room and an outside portion 14 which extends out of the room. There is also shown a window sash 15 of a window 16 which sash 15 rests upon the upper side of the unit 12. That portion of the space between the sill 11 and sash 15 not occupied nited States Patent 2,780,982 Patented Feb. 12 1957 by the unit 12 is filled in by means of conventional plates 17.

The device comprising the present invention is a cover for the outside portion 14 of the unit 12 and consists of a top 18 having a dependent flange 19 at its front and side edges. To the underside of the top 18 there is aflixed by means of a pair of straps 20 a sheet of fiberglass 21. Rivets 22 extend through the straps 20, the sheet 21 and the top 18.

The device further comprises a pair of dependent side walls each generally designated at 23 and a front wall generally designated at 24. The walls 23 .and 24 are formed in open manner by a pair of front corner posts 25 and a pair of rear corner posts 26 which corner posts all extend downwardly from the top 18, and are attached to the top 18 by rivets 27 or the like. The rearward edge of the top 18 is bent upwardly and forwardly and is adapted to abut against the outer side of the sash 15, as indicated at 28.

Cross bars 29 interconnect each of the corner posts 26 with an adjacent corner post 25 and a cross bar 30 interconnects the two corner posts 25.

In each of the openings thus created in the side walls and front wall by means of the corner posts, flange 19, and cross bars 29 and 39, there is mounted a series of transversely extending louvers 31. Each of the louvers 31 is provided upon its rearward side with an ear 32 at each end thereof and each of the ears has affixed therein a laterally and outwardly extending pin 33 which is pivotally engaged in an adjacent vertically extending link 34. A transversely extending elongated pin 35 is affixed to each of the louvers 31 and is pivotally engaged in an adajcent corner post at each of its ends.

To the lower portion of one of the front faces of one of the corner posts 25 there is pivotally afiixed by a rivet 35' or the like, a latch member 36 of flat metal which is provided adjacent one end with an opening 37 for the reception of the rivet 35' and whose other or free end is preferably rounded, as indicated at 38. Each of the side faces of the corner post 25 is provided adjacent its lower end with similar latch members 36.

A pair of fastening brackets 38 is also provided as a part of the invention and each consists of a fiat metallic member provided at one of its ends with a hook 39 and adjacent its other end with an aperture 40 for the reception of a bolt 41 or the like. A flange 42 of appreciable size extends inwardly from the lower edges of each of the cross bars 29 and 30.

in use, it will be apparent that the device of the present invention may be inserted as a unit inwardly toward the window sash 15 and sill 11 in such manner that it fully encompasses the outside portion 14 of the air conditioner unit 12 and also in such manner that the member 28 abuts against the outer side of the sash 15 as shown, for example, in Figures 1 and 2. When in such position, the hooks 39 may be placed over the inner edges of the corner posts 26 in such manner that the bodies of the latches 38a extend outwardly and may then be attached to the plates 17 adjacent thereto by means of bolts 41 or the like to thus secure thecover of the present invention in proper position over the outside portion 14 of the air conditioner unit 12.

When the device is thus mounted in its operative position, it will be apparent that the louvers may be extended into their open position as shown, for example, in Figures 4 and 7 by merely lifting one of the louvers of each set thereof and then pivoting the adjacent latch member 36 until the free end 38 thereof engages beneath one of the louvers of such set. Due to the linkage above described, it will be readily apparent that the entire set of louvers will in such case be maintained in an open position. When it is desired to close the louvers as, for example, as shown "ice in Figure 8 of the drawings, it is only necessary to release the latch 36 and then allow the louvers to resume their closed position by gravity whereupon the latch 36 is again rotated until it comes into contact with the outer side of an adjacent louver. Due to the elasticity of the latches 36, the louvers will thus be held yieldably by the latches in such closed position.

It will be apparent that normally the change from open to closed position with the conventional air conditioner unit will occur only twice a year, once in the spring when the louvers may be opened and again in the fall of the year when the louvers may be closed. During the wintermonths, when the unit 12 is normally not in use, it is desirable to completely protect the exposed outside portion 14 of the unit 12 from the elements and also to prevent leakage of air through the unit as sometimes occurs. In the summer months, however, it is desirable to maintain a free access of air to the outside portion 14 so that heat may be dissipated therefrom. During this period of the year, the louvers 31 may be maintained in an open condition. It will be apparent that even at this time, however, the cover affords a very useful protection of the outside portion 14 from the elements such as the efiect of sun and rain upon the finish of the unit 12 and at the same time, being preferably formed of unpainted aluminum or like metal, will reflect the rays of the sun from itself thereby acting to maintain the outside portion 14 in a cooler condition than would otherwise occur. The pad 21 of fiberglass or the like will assist in this protection from the rays of the sun. It is thought that this is an extremely important part of this invention since the eflicient operation of the condenser coils present in the outside portion 14 depends to a large extent upon the temperature difierential between the condensed gases therein and the outside air. It will also be seen that the member 28 will act to prevent any influx of water which may accumulate upon the top 18 due to rain or snow.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of thecharacter described comprising a top, a front wall, a pair of side Walls, a series of louvers pivotally mounted in each of said walls, and means for selectively latching each series of louvers in open and closed position, said means comprising a fiat latch for each wall, said latch pivoted at one end to its associated wall and adapted to selectively have its other end bear against the outer side of one of its associated louvers and to support the underside of one of its associated louvers when the latter is'in open'position. I

2. A device of the character described comprising a top, a front wall, a pair of side walls, a series of louvers pivotally mounted in each of said walls,'means forselectively latching each series of louvers in open and closed position, and means for mounting said device upon the outer side of a window, said last-mentioned means comprising a pair of brackets each composed of an elongated fiat body having a hook formed integrally at one end thereof and having a bolt-receiving aperture adjacent the other end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

